


The More The Merrier

by Hideous_Sun_Demon



Category: Designated Survivor (TV)
Genre: Alex Isn’t Dead AU, Christmas, F/M, Family, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 05:41:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17136047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hideous_Sun_Demon/pseuds/Hideous_Sun_Demon
Summary: Trey is bringing Kendra to spend Christmas with the Kirkman family, and Tom doesn’t know how to feel. Luckily, he has Alex.





	The More The Merrier

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Fibi94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fibi94/gifts).



> Merry Christmas, Fibi94!

Lilting through the Residence was the soft jingle of Christmas carols, blending in with the warm aromas of cooking food and the even warmer sounds of Leo and Penny laughing in the living room. Apart from them being in the White House, this could be any of the Christmases they’d spent together as a family over the years.

Except, Tom remembered as he heard two distinct voices coming from the direction of the door, for one very important difference.

Almost out of nowhere, Alex appeared at his elbow, smiling cryptically as she squeezed his arm. “Ready?” she murmured in his ear. It must have seemed like a ridiculous question on the outside- there shouldn’t have been anything daunting about Tom’s brother and his girlfriend joining them for Christmas Day. But even though it was nearly a year since Alex had forced a reconciliation between him and Trey, there was still a stiltedness about their relationship. And to top it all off, because Tom’s life could never be easy, Trey had decided to fall for his White House Counsel of all people.

Tom snuck a glance at his wife, catching himself growing breathless as he did so. Alex, as always, was radiant. It was hard to believe that this time last year, she had been lying in the ICU after that car accident, with the doctors telling Tom that she probably wouldn’t make it through. That was what had kickstarted all of this, really. Alex had told him that she couldn’t stop thinking about what would have happened if she’d died, how he would have been all alone, and she’d been the one to dial up Trey’s number and convince him to come to D.C so they could talk things over. Tom and his brother had reconciled, and then Trey had met Kendra, and- well, the rest was history. If Alex could face a near fatal car-crash, and then his own angst over speaking to his brother again, then Tom could handle a Christmas with Trey and Kendra.

He smiled back at her as they made their way to the door. “I’m ready.”

Their two guests coming through the door were a glare of colour. Trey was wearing a green and red monstrosity of a Christmas sweater, no doubt as a mockery of Tom’s own collection- “Penny likes them!” Tom would insist. Trey and Alex always just laughed. Kendra’s sweater was at least tasteful, but still cheerfully bright. To top it all off, their arms were loaded with presents.

“Hey, Trey, Merry Christmas,” Tom said, giving his brother a clumsy clap on the shoulder. The awkwardness only intensified as he turned to his lawyer, who exuded about as much wide eyed panic as she had the day he hired her. “Merry Christmas, Kendra.”

“Merry Christmas....sir.” Alex stifled a little laugh, and Kendra frowned unsurely. “...Tom?” Now Trey was grinning, and Kendra’s face matched his jumper perfectly. “Sir!” she yelped, quite a bit higher than before.

Tom just had to take pity on her. “I think, for the sake of Christmas, you can call me Tom,” he said warmly, and Kendra deflated like a punctured bouncy-castle.

“Merry Christmas, Tom,” she said, still blushing furiously, and clutching onto her boyfriend’s arm for dear life. Next to Tom, Alex was still trying to push down giggles.

“Ooookay,” Trey said, shooting them a grin as he edged a dazed Kendra towards the main living room. “I’m just gonna take her over here before she short-circuits. Okay, babe?” He murmured the last part in Kendra’s ear, pressing a reassuring kiss to her crimson cheek. Tom couldn’t help but stare a little. Considerate, gentleman Trey was still not something he was used to seeing.

Through in the other room, there came the distinctive sound of Penny’s delighted squeal as she presumably squashed Kendra in a hug, followed by the more dignified murmur of Leo greeting Trey. Both the kids had been thrilled to have their Uncle Trey back in their lives, and, luckily, they both seemed to have taken to Kendra with just as much enthusiasm- especially Penny. At least there wouldn’t be any sort of tension in that area.

“So far so good,” Alex said, and Tom barked out a rueful laugh.

“I think Kendra is terrified of me.”

Alex snorted. “Wouldn’t you be?” At Tom’s anxious look, she smoothed a hand down his chest. “She just wants your approval.”

“She already knows she’s got my approval!” he exclaimed. He didn’t think he’d gone a single day the last year and a half without giving Kendra her due praise. And it had always been accepted with the confident grace of someone who knew damn well she was deserving of it. Kendra didn’t seem like she could be intimidated by anything. This sudden bashfulness and uncertainty, as entertaining as it was, struck Tom as honestly baffling.

Alex was shaking her head. “She has approval from President Kirkman, her boss,” she corrected sternly. “She’s looking for approval from Tom, her potential brother-in-law.”

Tom almost choked on his laughter, not helped by his wife’s relentlessly wiggling eyebrows. “Oh, come on Alex,” he said incredulously. “I think it’s a bit early to start throwing the M word around.”

 _I don’t think Trey even knows what marriage is_ , he wanted to add, but he held it back in the spirit of Christmas and good will. This time was about bonding with his little brother, not causing another rift. Alex could read his thoughts though, judging by the disapproval scrunching her brows.

“We’ll see,” she hummed. She left no room for argument then, as she wrapped him up in a frankly non negotiable kiss, followed by another, and another. If this was her plan to keep his mood buoyed, then it was foolproof. Unfortunately, it was also ill timed. Tom reluctantly pulled away just as Alex’s willowy arms tangled themselves around his neck- mostly so he could get some air, but also to speak.

“We should...go join the others,” he said.

“But I haven’t given you your Christmas present yet,” she breathed into his ear, and he could practically hear the smirk in her voice. Tom couldn’t argue with that one, and he leaned in for another kiss, long and deep.

“You guys gonna be joining us anytime soon?” Tom heard a voice laugh, and he cracked an eye open to see his brother leaning against the doorway, sporting a painfully wide grin. “Or should we reschedule Christmas for February?”

“That works for me,” Alex said, but Tom finally disentangled himself from her octopus grip.

“Fine, fine,” he groaned, and dragged his wife past his wolf whistling little brother to join the kids and Kendra, trying his best to look at least halfway composed. Through in the living room, Kendra was throwing answers over her shoulder to Leo, who sounded as though he was asking a million and one questions about studying law- because apparently quizzing his mother just wasn’t enough- while also letting Penny lead her around by the hand, as the little girl showed off their Christmas tree with the giddy sort of pride only a ten year old could muster. Kendra met his eyes with a sheepish grin, and Tom flashed her a subtle thumbs up.

As hesitant as he might still be about inviting Trey back into his life, Tom knew he couldn’t complain about Kendra’s part in it.

Lunch and gift giving passed by in a blur of surprisingly genuine Christmas cheer. Trey was, unsurprisingly, more occupied with Alex and the kids, which left Tom plenty of room to get to know Kendra- a prospect she seemed keenly mortified by. But as the day went on, she seemed to unfurl from her awkward balancing act of maintaining her tightly wound professionalism around him and trying to seem likeable, and soon enough she genuinely looked like she was having a good time. A big part of that, Tom realised, was down to Trey. His brother was always a second away from hovering at her side, gently brushing her hand to remind her he was there and pressing kisses to her cheek; whispering reassurances that she was doing great. It was almost sickeningly sweet, and Tom had to stop and stare every time he saw it, marvelling in the change in his little brother.

The day bled into the evening, and after a few rounds of drinks Trey and Kendra decided to take their leave. Kendra managed her goodbye with a good deal more composure, and Tom had to admit, ease was a good look on her.

“We’ll be sure to do this again,” he said to her, and his eyes travelled to his brother. Trey was shining with puppyish eagerness at the prospect, and Tom would be lying if he said he wasn’t genuinely excited as well. For the first time in a long time, he’d had a Christmas with his brother that wasn’t fraught with tension, and Tom wanted more of it.

He went to his brother, clasping his shoulder. “I’ll be seeing you, Trey,” he said warmly. “Merry Christmas.”

Once Trey and Kendra were gone, and the kids were off to bed, it was just the two of them. As delightful as the day had been, Tom was eager to just melt into the couch with his wife. Alex, always one step ahead, came to join him with a glass of wine in each hand. Tom sighed in wordless gratitude, and wrapped an arm around her as she settled down beside him.

“Thank you for behaving yourself,” Alex said teasingly.

Tom raised an eyebrow. “I should be thanking you.” At least he and Trey had used the year since the accident to thaw out their history of discontent, and they were on decent terms now. Alex, on the other hand, had deigned to keep clear of Kendra, citing ‘professional differences. Tom knew the truth though- Kendra and his wife were just too damn similar.

Alex, of course, was all innocence. “What do you mean?”

Tom snorted, and she swatted his arm playfully. “No, I like Kendra. I do! I just don’t like working with her.”

“Mhm.” Tom shook his head with a laugh. He swirled his wine around in the glass, deep in thought. “She’s good for him,” he murmured. “I haven’t seen Trey this happy in years. Probably since we were kids.”

Alex brushed her knuckles tenderly over his cheek, silently trying to wipe away the guilt she knew he felt for how he’d treated Trey that he’d been carrying around ever since he found out about his bipolar diagnosis. Even if they weren’t close, he was still Tom’s little brother.

Tom tilted his cheek into Alex’s touch. Not close, yes, but on their way. Today proved that.

Alex smiled, seeming to read his thoughts. “Aren’t you glad I told you to reach out to Trey?”

“You were right. Tom grinned. “As always.”

“And don’t you forget it.” Alex sighed and snuggled into his side, draining the last of her wine. “I’ve missed this,” she said softly, smiling up at him. “Big family Christmases.”

Tom ran a hand through her hair contentedly, nosing into the silky waves. “And now our family’s gotten a little bigger.”

He felt the rumble of a chuckle against his chest, and he looked down to see a languid grin creeping across Alex’s face as she fingered the top button of his shirt. “You know,” she said, voice laced with honey. “We could always make it _even_ bigger.”

“Try again in four years, darling,” Tom said, but he obligingly pulled Alex onto his lap as she scrambled to straddle him, making quick work of his buttons and both of them giggling between long kisses. Tom only just managed to save his wine glass by putting it on the coffee table before he got swept away with far more pressing matters.

Trey and Kendra or not, they were going to make this a Christmas they weren’t going to forget.

**Author's Note:**

> Tom and Trey are a little icier towards each other in this than in canon because, as sad as it is, I think they’d need something as emotionally devastating as Alex’ death to throw them back together properly.


End file.
